The National tribune., 1887-06-23
THE RESPONSIBILITY.
Who Was the Original Cause OF all the TrOubl

THE RESPONSIBILITY.
Who Was the Original Cause OF all the TrOublei
There seems TO be a good deal Of fog envel-
oping the origin of this glorious idea Of forever
closing the bloody chasm" by returning
perhaps with bo6tting apologies for having so
rudely taken them from their original own
ers-the battlefaCs Of the rebellion No is
willing 10 assume the pressure, and all con-
cerned in the matter are now busily engaged
in trying 20 shrk the responsibility FOR the
order. The President the Secretary Of War
aud Adiuiant General Drum are ondeavoring
20 unload upon the shoulders OF one another.
The story most generally believed makes the
President himself directly responsible for the
order. Gen. Drum, who was exceedingly anx-
ions 10 fiK the honor Of the suggestion where il
belonged a. long as 1t seemed 70 be an honor,
said:
This action is not due 20 any pressure orhny sug-
Eosiion from any outside souroC. The idea origi-
mated with she Administration. u h. thc desire oi
every patriot 90 tIc last ray ~ sectional feeling
cNiinsul-Ied and ubltcraicd a. soon as possible,
and the Presidents npiion ia having these flags re-
turned To their owners is ! think a very graceful
aud very wise dcciaI alton ~ ilis sentiment GA the
part ui the Government
Gen. Drum was charged with being the
originator of the suggestion. bat 20 a gentleman
who asked him directly about the matic- he
said that his instructions came from the very
highest authority under the Administration.
lie may have made some suggestion 10 the Sec
rotary % War which started the scheme. but
his language shows that in any event lie had
so much authority from the President for car
rying it out that he could quote him as lis au-
thor.
no REASON FOR IT.
II Is rather curious that no apparent reason
existed ior the original order. No Southern
State had made request for the flags, and SO far
- g. Al. L..
all probability they would have been more
painful memorials al home than hidden here
in Washington. The whole affair appears 10
have been designed by the President 10 put the
last touch 70 the fraternal reunion between the
North and South aud 70 unite Northern Demo
Gratis, southern veterans and all who believe
that the war was n failure in harmonious
jumble with whatever outsiders the apparent
reign Of peace and good fellowship could bring
in.
WHAT CEN. DRUM SAID.
In the Washington Post, the organ Of the
Administration az the Capital, appeared the fol-
lowing interview with Adjutant. General Drum,
who appears TO have had all his fingers and
thumbs in the pie. The interview was had
just before the resembling Of the order:
"Gen. Drum, are you going TO return 10 the
Southern States all the flags standards and colOrs
which were captured by the Union army from the
Conederates during the war;"
We are going 10 return them" said The Adju-
tant-Genera Ito all the States, North aud South.
The President has recommended that il bo done,
aud I am now having fun lists made of all these
trophies in possession OF the Department. la a
short time we shalt have the whole collection so
assorted and separated that we shall be ready 10
forward 20 every State In the Union whatever flags
belonging 10 State volunteers fell into the hands of
the Federal army aud into the possession Of the
War Department. 1 am having "A complete inven-
tory OF them made out with written statements 10
tell briefly, far as known. the history Of each
trophy and the story ofhow IL came 10 be captured
All tins Literature VIII be completed, aud the tro-
phes will be ready 10 be forwarded 10 their owners
in few weeks"
THE FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
The Adjutant General has addressed 10 the Gov
ernor Of each State circular, which reads as fol-
lows:
SIR: The President Of the United States having
approved the recommendation that all the flags in
the custody OF the War Department be returned TO
the authorities Of the respective States in which the
regiments which bore them We're organized for
such final disposition as they may determine, am
instructed by the honorable Secretary OF War TO
make YOU On the name Of the War Department. a
tender Of the flags, now in this Office, belonging 10
the late volunteer organizations OF the State Of.
In discharging this pleasant duty beg you viii
Ispease advise me Of your wishes in ths matter. IL
Is the intention, in returning each nsg. TO give its
history far possible TO do 70, stating the cir
/ cumstances of its capture aud recovery.
have the honor TO be, very respectfully, your
r.. C. DRUM, AdJutant- General.
THE PRESIDENTS ACTION.
"when the President expressed his approval OF
! this proposition did lac do il in writing
The Adlutaut- General did not give "A direct cate
gOrical answer TO this question, but intmated that
possibly when thc list itbe flags were returned and
their histories given TO the public letter from
1 President Cleveland on the subject might also be
made public.
when did the President determine that these
I nags should he retumed?"
During the week of the National Drill"
i And how dld he come 10 take any action IN the
matter? IL has been iutmated thai somehow Gen.
J. G. Jones, Of North Carolina, was instrumental ia
i bringing the matter about"
" lie had no insrumentaly in the matter" said
Gen. Drum. During the drill week he happened
I 10 be in Washington, and was perhaps one Of the
first 10 learn that the thing had been determined
upon. This action II not due 20 any pressure any
suggestion from any outside source. The idea
/ originated with the Administration. IL had been
/ in contemplation IA the Department Tor some con.
1 siderable time. You see, every now and then. we
were receiving inquiries from various States about
the flags 90 which they were particularly interested
aud requests 10 have them returned. These re
! quests generally came from Northern States. and
from time 20 time a. the requests were made they
were gratifed. Al length 1t occurred TO the Depart
ment officials that IL would be n good thing TO re
turn them All AZ once. The law relating 10 flag:
captured from the enemies Of the United States did
| not apply TO flags taken IN the civil war On
| April IL, 1874 after the last war with Eng.
| land, Congress passed an act providing thai
the Secretary of War shall, from time 10 time
cause 10 be collected and transmitted TO him al the
seat Of Government all such flags, standards and
/
of the United States. But il was never INTENDED
that flags taken In lnternccine strife should be
treated like trophies captured from "A foreign enc.
my. IL has never been done. IL would serve nC
/ good purpose 10 treasure up these things and lis
play them 10 bc n perpetual aflrOnt aud insult "a
men who now good loyal American citizens
1 The Union. the object for which the Of the
/ North fought 50 we'll h. now securely established
Ii u the desire OF every patriot 10 the last ray
sectional feeling eEtingushed and obliieraied a,
soon possible; aud the Presidents action in haV
ing these flags returned 60 their original owners IS
think very graceful and very wise declaration
OF this sentiment on the part Of the Government
CEN. DRUMS OWN PROPOSITION.
Gen. Drum, Of course, speaks only Of the Presi
dent Ia regard 10 this action, IL lac speaks of an
other II is only 10 say that the proposition wa
made 10 the President by Secretary Indioott at ,
Cabinet meeting, when IL unanimously ap
proved. lie never claimed any Of the authorship
lot himself yet the fact s that the proposition orig
nnted with Gen. Drum, who las all these trophies
under his own especial care.
The week when the soldiers Of the North nn(
the soldiers Of the South were cainped together il
friendship and brotherhood at the National Capt.
tai, lac says. would seem 10 have been "A yer,
good time TO put the idea into action" And that i
how II came about.
The Adjutantd General while admitting that re
quest for the return Of captured colors might 40
have come 80 gracefully from a Southern state a
from Northern one, gives the Southern State
credit for having acted IN the matter with the mos
ff and r.fa aeia